CH. VII.] MORTALITY AMONGST SEA-BIRDS. 238 
food, as cuddies (to say nothing of other fish) then 
abound in all the lochs and bays of that coast to 
an extent almost inconceivable. 
A very remarkable and extensive mortality 
was observed to prevail this autumn, 1859, (about 
the months of August and September) amongst 
several species of sea-birds along the west coasts 
of Scotland, Ireland, and England, the species 
more particularly affected by it appearing to be 
Guillemots, Razor-bills, Puffins, and Gulls, numbers 
of which were picked up along the shore, the 
greater part dead, but some still alive, though so 
reduced and helpless that they could be taken up 
by the hand. A friend of mine in the Isle of 
Arran picked up in the course of one morning's 
walk upwards of fifty dead and dying, mostly 
Guillemots and Razor-bills, but including a few of 
the two other kinds mentioned. 
This mortality was noticed at several different 
places along the coast, and appeared to have a 
very wide range, extending as far round on the 
south coast as Bournemouth. I have been unable 
to trace it further to the westward, but am 
informed that there was a marked falling off this 
summer from the usual number of these birds 
which annually resort to the Freshwater Cliffs to 
